My Sister, My Brother
by Katharos
Summary: Angel is about to meet someone from his past he thought lost to him forever...
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own any of them, they all belong to Joss Whedon and others  
Timeline: Shortly after the end of Angel first season. All that happened in the episode 'New Moon Rising' has happened only Oz didn't come back  
Spoilers: Whole of Angel season one and all of Buffy up to the end of season four, to be safe.  
Authors Note: I began this before the start of Angel season two and Buffy season five, so events will bear little to no relation to anything that happens in them.   
  
  
My Sister, My Brother.  
  
  
Prologue  
  
Her soul drifted in the darkness that was death. Her body, not yet cold, lay on the floor of the house that had once been her home. She could see, or maybe sense, the light. The light that promised peace and joy. Happiness. Family. All the things she longed for. And yet, still she lingered. Still her soul cried out in pain and betrayal. Because Liam would not be there. Liam, her brother who had played with her and teased her and always been there for her as she grew up. Liam, whose body had been found limp and lifeless in a dark alley. Liam, who she had mourned at his graveside with her Mother and Father. Liam, who in ecstatic joy she had invited into their house, believing him to be an Angel, miraculously returned to her. And she had believed that, until his face had changed into the terrifying visage of a demon and sank his fangs into her neck and drained the lifeblood from her. If souls could weep, hers did at that moment.   
  
Although all bonds had been severed between her and her body at the moment of death, she yet retained a faint hold upon it. So she was aware as it was moved, as still warm hands laid hold of it, and yet the sensation did not intrude upon her keening grief. Then, she felt it. Before there had been only darkness and the persistent yet gentle urge of the light. And her tremendous grief. But then, she felt it. A tugging on her very soul which was any thing but gentle. She tried to resist, then if she had still possessed a mouth she would have screamed as claws sank into her soul and pulled at her viscously, dragging her, unwillingly too where she did not know. She reached out desperately to the light, willing now to heed its call, but it was receding away, as iron bands grasped her tightly and pulled her, spiralling down into utter darkness.  
  
She became aware again slowly, and as she did so she realised she once again felt the restrictions of an earthly body, something she had not even been aware of before her...death. But something was wrong, subtly but extremely wrong. Her body wasn't right, it felt almost...dead. She gasped in horror and fought to keep herself from hyperventilating. She was trapped! Trapped in a dead body. The part of her mind that wasn't screaming in abject terror dimly wondered if this was what had happened to Liam..? She became aware, on the edge of her hearing, of voices speaking and she latched onto them, desperately seeking anything to focus on that would take her mind off the circles it was inscribing around her present and recent past. She heard a deep, man's voice speaking, and another's, high with terror, answering as she started to make sense of their words.  
  
"We shall know soon enough, my Lord," frightened man was saying, "This is an extremely complex spell we are undertaking and I don't believe there has ever been a single recorded incident when it was performed correctly."  
  
"Then we shall have to be the first, won't we?" deep voice was replying, "Only, of course, we won't be recording this will we?"  
  
"O-of course my Lord," the first man said nervously, "But, to bind a soul to an already dead body... it takes an enormous amount of power, and pure intent... even the human sacrifices you provided me with may not have granted me enough power to succeed...and if her soul had already passed on into the light... well, not even the most powerful of spell casters can go up against the powers themselves!"  
  
"For your sake, my friend," the deep voice was deceptively mild, "You had better have succeeded. All the prophecies tell of the coming of the Warrior, and I must have a weapon against him when he arises!"  
  
"But, but my Lord Wolfram," the scared voice was trembling now, "Prophecies can be averted..."   
  
"That they can, and you may be sure I will be vigilant in my attempts to thwart them, but he is spoken of in the Scrolls of Aberjian, and I am not about to dismiss them lightly."   
  
She shifted slightly on the floor and opened her eyes in an attempt to see her surroundings. It was hot, she realised dimly, and she could see the huge fires that produced it. As more of her senses reawakened the smell of blood and death assaulted her. She became aware she was lying in the centre of a pentagram, drawn in blood and incense burning at all five points. She could see the two men standing a short distance away, both dressed in the robes of the one's who know magic. As if becoming aware of her gaze the taller turned and swept towards her, kneeling down and staring into her eyes. She stared back up at him, eyes wide with fear meeting eyes that glowed amber. A wolves eyes.  
  
"Hello Kathy," Wolfram smiled coldly and the fires of hell danced in his eyes. "I am Wolfram."  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter One: Escape

  
  
  
Chapter One  
  
Kathy looked around the room they were waiting in. 'They' was Lord Wolframs entourage. She sighed quietly though she had no breath and slumped down to sit on the floor. She had... existed for almost 250 years now. It couldn't be called living. Living meant growing, changing. She had done neither since she had awoken in this Hell on Earth. And yet... she still didn't know why. Why would Wolfram expend so much magical energy to bring her back to a semblance of life? She had no special abilities he might crave, no powers. All she knew of her purpose, at least as he saw it, was that she was to be a weapon against a warrior of good. And how she did not know. She didn't understand anything.   
  
Kathy felt tears prickle against the backs of her eyelids and viscously beat them back. She wouldn't give in to self-pity, she told herself angrily. She 'wouldn't.' She looked around the entourage again, taking them in. They had been chose, she knew, to impress and inspire fear. Some had been with him for centuries, as she had been. The others, two humans and a witch, were recent. Two wolves lounged on the floor like huge dogs, until you saw their eyes. No dogs had eyes so utterly neutral. Amber eyes that said they could, and would, kill you without a moments thought if it was needed. Except for Wolfram. Wolfram was their Master, their Alpha Male. That was his power. The ability to call and control wolves, to command them, even against their will. He spoke, and they had to obey, as did their human cousin, the werewolf.   
  
Kathy's gaze settled on the newest addition, of just a few months ago. He was small and slight, his hair brown. And he was young, at least physically. But his eyes were old. He was a werewolf. From rumours and whispers Kathy had learnt that Wolfram had drawn him in with promises of learning how to control his beast. And he had taught him how to do so, to an extent. The pull of the full moon was no longer needed to unleash his beast.   
  
Kathy wondered who he had been until he had become entangled in the web that Wolfram and Hart had woven. Had he had family? Sister? Brother? Had he had a girlfriend? When had he learnt that vampires and demons and the creatures of the night were real... and when had he become one? She couldn't ask him. Talking was frowned upon within the entourage.   
  
From listening, Kathy had learnt that they were now in the New World, though it wasn't so new any more, in a city called Los Angeles or L.A And that here, at this place and in this time, Wolfram and Hart posed as the founders of a respectable Law Firm. At least, that's how they would appear to Human eyes. Kathy knew they would be repeating what had been their practice for decades. Serving Demons and the Forces of Darkness.  
  
She felt eyes on her and glanced up to see that the young werewolf was watching her. Their eyes caught and he gave her a small smile. She returned it gladly. There had been too few that she could even begin to call friends since her... death.  
  
A beep alerted her to the fact that someone was entering. She stood up, bringing her hand with the cuff and chain around her wrist up in front of her. There was various shifting through out the entourage as they prepared for the coming of their- her mouth twisted into a grimace- master.   
  
The door opened... and Wolfram stepped into the room. His presence filled it till you almost wanted to back away to give him more space. The two wolves whined and stood up, padding over to their master. He held his hand down for them to lick, his black eyes sweeping over all of them. His eyes settled on her and he held out his other hand.  
"Kathy," It was a command. She took a deep breath and stepped forward to him, handing him her chain. His fist closed around it and he turned and exited, knowing, with the arrogance that comes with supreme command, that the others would follow  
  
Kathy walked just behind him as they made their way down the corridors of the building, hating him silently. Wolfram knew that she found the little ritual of handing her chain to him insulting and degrading, so he made sure to repeat it at any time possible.   
  
They stepped into a large audience hall where three lawyers waited for them. As they stepped in, they bowed deeply.   
"Lord Wolfram," the oldest man stepped forward. "Welcome," Wolfram nodded regally and sat down in the throne like chair that had been set ready. Kathy stood at his side as he kept the chain in his hand. The entourage arrayed themselves behind him and the wolves slumped at his feet before turning their amber stare on the lawyers who remained standing in front. The woman began to look nervous while the younger man remained impervious.  
  
Wolfram leaned back in his chair, surveying them, knowing that he held their lives in his hand, and that they knew it too.   
"So," he said "I believe it was you three that were present at the Ritual of Resurrection, was it not?"  
"It was, My Lord." The oldest man said nervously.  
"And, I believe the ritual was a success?" The man now looked visibly relieved.  
"It was, my Lord," he said, "And she is recuperating as we speak."  
"But it might not have been," Wolfram said, his voice going suddenly dark. "It could very easily not have been," His gaze swept over the lawyers, pinning each of them in turn. Only the younger man seemed unaffected. That either meant he was extremely foolish, or he truly believed he had nothing to fear. Which might just be another way to say he was foolish. "The Warrior has come to this city, this 'City of Angels' that we strove to make a 'City of Demons'. He stole the Scroll from our very vault, his connection to the Powers remains unsevered, and he... how do they say it in this age? Ah yes, he 'crashed the party' during the Ritual of Resurrection and seceded in slaying Vachnor!" The older man and woman had paled, but the third still remained unaffected.   
"But of course," Wolfram said, he voice suddenly calmer, "There most also be recognitions of achievement. Lindsey." The younger man stepped forward. "You succeeded in completing the ritual, and though you lost the Scroll of Aberjian once again, still. I am very impressed with your sacrifice." Lindsey bowed low, murmuring,  
"Thank you my Lord," Kathy's eyes were suddenly riveted on his hand. Or rather, were his hand should be. All that was left was an ugly stump. She swallowed, feeling sick. So that was his sacrifice she thought queasily.   
"And what would you wish for your reward?" Wolfram leaned back in his chair/throne, smiling benevolently at the young lawyer. Lindsey's eyes seemed to flash angrily suddenly.  
"All I wish," he said, his voice low and hate filled, "Is Angel's pain." Wolfram smiled, genuinely delighted.  
"Then look upon what will be the source of his greatest torment," He proclaimed, gesturing sideways at Kathy. Lindsey moved so that he was standing directly over her. Kathy looked up into his eyes... and suddenly knew fear. His eyes were filled with a dark lust as he gazed up on her. His eyes flickered over her as if she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Kathy swallowed hard and tore her gaze away. She felt his gaze remain on her for a few more seconds before it moved away and she dared look again. Lindsey was once more standing in front of Wolfram.  
"All I ask," he said again, "Is Angels torment." He bowed low and returned to his place next to his fellow lawyers. Kathy followed him with her eyes, watching him as one might watch a deadly animal.   
  
Wolfram stood in one smooth movement.  
"Now," he said, "I believe there was something planned?"  
"Of course, My Lord." The older lawyer, the spokesman, said. "A banquet has been planned in your honour, if you wish too..." Wolfram smiled.  
"I believe I do. If you would care too..." he gestured for him to lead the way.   
  
Kathy followed behind the rest, still shocked by what she had seen in Lindsey's eyes. They stepped out into the sun, except for the two vampires who remained inside. Kathy blinked and resisted the urge to cower away. She could survive the sunlight, unlike vampires. A fact for which she was eternally, literally, grateful. She didn't know if she could survive without seeing the sunlight. But, it made her uncomfortable, and she instinctively wanted to return to the shadows, to safety.   
  
Suddenly there was a noise, something like a cross between a howl and a yell, and all the bodyguards turned instinctively outwards, searching for the source of the threat. But the attack... came from within. The young werewolf, already beginning to change lunged into Wolfram's back, knocking him to the ground... and tearing Kathy's chain from Wolfram's hand.  
"GO," The werewolf yelled at her, voice still intelligible. "GO!" He turned and knocked down a guard approaching him from behind. "Get to Angel! To A-" He yelped as one of the wolves flung itself at him; Kathy turned and ran.  
  
She ran, tears streaming down her face trying to block out the cries of pain coming from her saviour, she ran, sobbing, repeating like a mantra,   
"I'll come back for you, I'll come back for you," the only thing that kept her running, that stopped her from turning around and running back to help him. She fled, deep into the alley s of L.A  
  



	3. Chapter Two: Discovery

  
  
  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Cordelia wandered among the stalls in downtown L.A. Fingering the fabric and comparing the colouring of a few pieces of clothing that caught her eye. She smiled softly to herself, thinking back to the days when she did not even have to look at the price tag of an item of clothing if she wanted to buy it. Those days were gone now, and strangely, she didn't regret them any more, or moan and complain about her situation, not constantly, anyway. She shivered, in spite of the heat of the day as one of the many images that had assaulted her while she lay strapped to a hospital bed came back to here. A little boy, his wrists slit. Sometimes, she felt she had a dim understanding of what Angel went through every day. It was bad enough to have the memories of hopelessness, despair, and pain. How much worse must it be to know that you were the one that inflicted or instigated it?  
  
  
Cordelia pushed the thoughts away, for now. Sometimes it unnerved her at how far she had come from the cheerleading bitch of Sunnydale High school. She couldn't honestly say she regretted it, though.  
  
Suddenly, there was a pounding of feet and a blur rushed past her, sobbing. Cordelia turned quickly.  
"Hey! Wait!" She called, running after it.  
  
Kathy heard the call and the sound of steps running after her. She also heard the concern in the voice. She was lost and afraid, the very sunlight making her nervous. She hadn't been around so many people in years, and she was consumed with guilt at leaving the werewolf who had helped to what she knew would be a painful punishment.   
  
Unable to run anymore, she sank down to the pavement, hugging her knees and sobbing quietly. She sensed someone sit down on the pavement next to her, and unconsciously flinched away slightly when a gentle arm was put around her shoulders. She looked up, almost afraid, to see a young woman looking at her kindly and with concern.  
"Your not OK," The woman said bluntly, looking at her. "Do you want to tell me what it is?" Kathy stared up at her, her first instinct to say no. Something was crumbling inside her, though. No one had shown her care or concern ever since her 'death' Then a werewolf who she didn't know and who didn't her risked the punishment that would follow and allowed her to escape, now another complete stranger was offering her comfort. The hard not of loneliness and distrust that had grown inside her all the years, snapped, and she flung herself into the woman's arms, crying, letting it all lose at last. Letting the first person since her mother after Liam's funeral, hold her in their arms and comfort her.  
  
  
Cordelia looked down at the sobbing girl in her arms, feeling her anger rising at whoever could do this to someone, to another human being! You don't know that it was a human, a voice whispered to her. Cordelia stroked the girl's back murmuring soothingly to her, ignoring some of the odd looks she was getting from passers-by. As the storm of sobbing ceased she pulled back a bit so she could see the other's face.  
"Do you feel any better?" she asked gently. The girl considered the question for a moment, the smiled shakily.  
"A bit," she conceded. Cordelia smiled.  
"Good," she said. She looked down, considering the girl for a moment. "What's your name?"  
  
Kathy started in surprise, staring up at the woman in disbelief. She wanted to know her name? Why- because that's what people do in the real world! She shouted angrily at herself. Not that the world that Wolfram walked in was any less real... She shivered, then looked back up, realising that the woman was waiting for an answer.  
"Ka-Kathy," she said, stumbling over the symbols of her own name. The woman smiled.  
"Hello Kathy," she said, "I'm Cordelia." The woman, Cordelia, looked down at her, considering something. "Do you want to come back to my place?" she asked hesitantly. Her head was telling her that she should get away, that she shouldn't trust 'anyone' but her instincts... But her instincts were telling her that she could trust this woman, and she had learned to trust her instincts.  
"OK," she said, hesitantly, wondering if she was doing the right thing. Cordelia looked slightly surprised, then relieved, and held out her hand. Slowly, Kathy took it and...  
  
  
And Cordelia saw the chains. The anger that had been simmering in her erupted to boiling point.  
"Who did 'this?'" She demanded, grabbing the end of the chain. She glared down at her, demanding an answer... And saw that Kathy was shaking. Why...? She wondered, then she realized her mistake.  
"I'm sorry," she murmured, dropping the chain instantly. Kathy swooped down, gathering it up instantly. "it's just..." she sighed shaking her head slowly, "The whole idea make's me so mad..."   
Kathy nodded, shakily trying, to regather her control.  
Cordelia's voice was gentle, soothing, as she asked her next question.  
"can you tell me who..." she hadn't finished her question when Kathy was shaking her head violently, staring up at her with wide, terrified eyes.  
"No! No I can't! He'll..." she choked, trying to banish the unreasoning terror that swept threw her at the image of 'him' when she first awakened, his wolf eyes... No!  
Dimly she was aware of Cordelia gathering her in her arms, stroking her hair, murmuring softly to her again,  
"Shhhh, shhhhh," Cordelia pulled away from her slightly, keeping one arm around her, regarding her face seriously. "Tell you what," she said. "We'll go to my place, and find a way to get that 'thing' off you." Kathy stared at her, feeling fear at doing what she knew that Wolfram would violently hate, but behind that... Joy. Overwhelming joy at the mere idea, which she had given up on a long time ago. She nodded shakily.   
"I'd like that," she whispered. Cordelia smiled and rose to her feet, pulling Kathy up with her.   
"I think that's an understatement," She said softly, turning them both in the direction of her apartment.  
  
*******  
  
Cordelia inserted her key into the doorway of her apartment, glancing sideways at her young charge as she did so.  
"Here we are," she said proudly, flinging open the door to her apartment. Kathy smiled slightly- laughing seemed to be beyond her, at least for the moment, and entered, glancing around in open admiration- only to be pushed out the doorway by an invisible force.  
  
Kathy stumbled slightly as she ended up back out in the hallway. She glanced uncertainly at Cordelia who was facing into the apartment, eyes snapping with fury.  
"Dennis!" she barked. "How dare you," she said, advancing menacingly on... nothing. "She is not a boyfriend, she is not an enemy, she is not a threat and you will not treat her like one, do I make myself quite clear?!" She huffed out a sigh and turned to face Kathy, eyes troubled. "Come in," she said gently, gesturing for her to enter. Kathy entered again uncertain, glancing around a bit nervously.   
"It's OK," Cordelia said reassuringly. "It's just my ghost, Dennis, gets a bit overprotective at times." Kathy's eyes snapped back to her, startled.   
"Ghost?"  
"Yeah." Cordelia moved over to the kitchen area and started rummaging around in various draws. Kathy followed and at a nod from Cordelia seated herself an the sofa, surprised and delighted at it's softness. "Don't worry," Cordelia continued. "He's not really a bad ghost, just gets jealous of my boyfriends sometimes. Now." She found what she was looking for and returned to sit next to Kathy on the sofa. She held a strong hairpin in one hand. Cordelia looked at her seriously. "May I have your hand?" The tone of voice was not demanding, truly asking. Kathy looked down at her lap where she cradled the chain, symbol of her slavery. She swallowed and nodded determinedly.   
"Yes," she whispered. Cordelia gently took her hand and inserted the hairpin into the lock, picking at it.   
  
Kathy found she couldn't take her eyes off it. There was no sound in the apartment at the quiet clicking as the pin worked at the lock. Cordelia was bent over her wrist, eyes narrowed and brow furrowed. It seemed time started up again as there was a stronger 'click'... and the cuff sprang open. Kathy found that she was shaking as she lifted her arm slowly upwards, and the shackle didn't come. She felt the pure joy, the disbelief running through her as she stared at her bare wrist. Abruptly she turned and threw her arms around Cordelia, hugging her tightly.   
"Thank you," she whispered, tears running silently down her face. "Thank you." Cordelia returned the hug but it wasn't as... Kathy pulled back slightly, looking up at her. "What?" she asked. Cordelia swallowed and looked down at her.  
"Kathy," she said, "You don't have a pulse."  
  
The next thing that Cordelia knew was that Kathy had hurled herself from her arms and was curled up in a ball on the floor, rocking back and forth. Cordelia froze for a moment, then got down on her hands and knees next to her. She could just make out a steady stream of desperate words, barely at hearing level.  
"Please don't reject me, please don't be frightened, I'm not evil, I'm not, I don't want to be evil please..." In a flash Cordelia disregarded all thoughts of vampires, demons, forces of darkness, and pulled the terrified girl into her arms.  
"I'm not going to Kathy," she whispered to her. "I'm not afraid, and you're not evil. The only ones who are are the ones who did this to you." Kathy broke down once more, and once more Cordelia held her and soothed her. Gently, not wanting to hurt her more, she asked, "What happened to you?" Kathy froze and didn't speak for a long moment so that Cordelia began to worry that she had pushed her too far. When she did begin to speak it was in a monotone voice.  
"I was dead," she said. "I was floating in a dark place. I hadn't gone into the light. I was waiting. Then someone dragged me out. They put me back in my body, but it was dead. He kept me. I couldn't escape. I couldn't die, I was already dead, wasn't I?" Cordelia drew her wordlessly tighter against herself, understanding that this was too deep for tears.   
"How long?" she asked, her own voice choked.  
"I don't know," Kathy whispered, "Long." Cordelia tightened her grip around her, her soul blazing in anger for the 'He' who could do this.  
  
Kathy kept her head pressed against Cordelia. She focused on one thing that Cordelia had told her. 'I'm not evil, I'm not evil.' She told herself. 'But she doesn't know what 'He' brought you back to do,' another voice whispered. She squeezed her eyes tight shut and tried to block out the voice.  
  
There was a banging on the door. Cordelia's head jerked up.  
"Dennis!" she snapped. A picture rose from a pile on the table. Kathy gasped as she recognised the person in the newspaper clipping. It was the lawyer who had stared at her with such lust in his eyes. Cordelia groaned under her breath, then glanced at Kathy and saw the sudden fear in her eyes.  
"Lindsey," she muttered. Her eyes quickly swept around the apartment.  
"Go!" she gestured behind the sofa. Kathy scrambled quickly behind it as Cordelia swept the chain under it with her foot and the banging started again.  
"Alright, alright, don't break the door down." Kathy listened to her footsteps as she walked over to and opened the door.  
"Hello, Lindsey," Cordelia's voice drifted back to her. "Need a hand?"   
"Extremely funny, Cordelia" Lindsey's voice replied. Kathy remembered the ugly stump on the end of Lindsey's arm, and Wolfram's talk of 'sacrifices'  
"I just presumed to give you, and your boss, a warning," Lindsey's voice continued.  
"Yeah, well Angel and I are very grateful, good day now." Kathy froze. 'Angel?'  
"You must understand," Lindsey continued, his voice smooth and modulated. "It is a personal gift to one of our... clients, and we would hate to see it come to a unpleasant end."  
"I'm sure we will do everything we can to ensure that. Now, will you leave, or should I have Dennis throw you out?"  
"Good day, Cordelia."  
"Good day, Lindsey. I'd offer you my hand to shake but..." Lindsey's answering voice was tight.  
"A pleasure talking to you, Cdordelia, as always." The door slamed and a second later Cordelia's voice spoke again.   
"Dennis, open all the windows, lets try and clear this stench out." There was a rush of wind as the various windows opened. Kathy looked up as Cordelia walked around to kneel in front of her, her face concerned.  
"Kathy?" she asked. Kathy stared back at her, trembling slightly.  
"Your-your boss is Angel?" she asked. Cordelia frowned briefly and answered  
"Yeah," she said. "He's a great person and I'm sure he can help you with- Kathy?" Kathy had begun to shake more violently. Cordelia reached out and placed a concerned hand on her arm. Kathy stared up at her.  
"You don't understand," she whispered. "I-I'm a weapon against him, that's what they all say." Shock registered on Cordelia's face briefly. Then she looked down at her, face aclm once more.  
"Do you want to be a wweapon?" she asked. Kathy stared up at her.  
"N-no," she said.  
"Then you won't be." Cordelia said simply. She stood up and walked over to the kitchen. "Can you drink?"   
"Yes," Kathy answered dazedly, then reality slamed back into place and she stared at her in disbelief. "That's it?" she asked, "'you won't be'?" Cordelia turned back to her, face serious.   
"You're a good person, Kathy," she said. "And I'm sure whatever their plan is, you will do your best to mess it up." Kathy nodded distractedly and Cordelia smiled. "Then we have nothing to worry about," she said. She turned back to the kitchen. "Drink?" Kathy smiled, feeling as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.  
"Please," she said.  
  
********  
  
It was later and beginning to grow dark outside when the door opened and a man walked in.   
"Cordelia," he said, "I got your message, what is Wolfram and Hart doing no- His eyes fell on her and he clutched at the table for support. "Kathy?"  
  
Kathy stared at him, pale.   
"Liam," she whispered.  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
(Aren't I evil? :-))  
  



	4. Chapter Three: Reunion

  
Disclaimer: Not mine, they're Joss's, don't sue.  
Distribution: If you want it, you can have it, just tell me where it's going first.  
  
I'm really, really sorry for the long wait, but after I had finally been able to complete it I got a bad case of nerves and rewrote it about three times. Anyway, here it is. Please send feedback, it makes me write faster!  
  
  
**********  
  
Chapter Three  
  
Angel groped blindly behind him, eventually his hand hit a chair and he grabbed hold of it, sinking into it before his legs gave out completely, never taking his eyes off the young girl who sat before him, her fingers digging into the arms of her chair.  
  
He stared at her. He felt as if he was in shock. Numbly, he took in the fine features, the dark hair, of his sister who he had thought dead, under his fangs, two hundred years and more ago.  
  
Angel had to close his eyes against the shock wave of guilt and painful memories that thought brought. He remembered how she had opened the door for him, remembered the joy in her face and eyes, the joy he had taken in with such anticipation, knowing it would soon be snuffed out by his hand. He remembered how she had invited him in, thinking him to be an Angel. He remembered the horror and fear on her face as the demon within him had shown itself, distorting his features to mirror it. He remembered how, in that moment, he had chosen to take for himself the name she had given him, to honour her, in a twisted way. And he remembered how he had sunk his fangs into her neck, savoured the sweet taste that fear gave it, drained her dry, dropped her lifeless body to the floor when he was done. And he remembered the song in his heart.  
  
Echoing through the memory of that moment he heard the words that Darla would speak to him later, when she found him sitting among the bloodstained bodies of his family.  
'The same loves will haunt you..."  
And how he had answered her, even the demon feeling some horror then.  
'Love. Is this love' She had touched his cheek gently, a surprisingly tender gesture.  
'Dear boy, still so young, still so very young.'  
He was not young any more  
  
Angel opened his eyes shakily, half expecting her to have vanished, to have been no more then a ghost conjured up from his guilt-stricken memories.   
  
She was still there. Her eyes were wide with fear and he felt a wave of self-loathing engulf him for knowing that he had put it there. Involuntarily his eyes shifted to her neck. There was no sign of the wound that had killed her, no scar, but her hand rose swiftly to cover it when she felt his eyes on it.   
  
She was shaking, he saw, with fear. He wanted to move, to speak to comfort her, tell her there was nothing for her to be afraid of, but he couldn't. He was frozen. He wanted to throw himself down on the floor in front of her and beg for her forgiveness, but he expected to, and was terrified of, not receiving it.  
  
"Kathy," he repeated, managing to force her name from his dry mouth.  
  
  
  
Kathy stared at him. She was afraid, she admitted, this was the man who had killed her, after all. Her fingers digging into the arms of her chair was all that was keeping her from bolting from the room, from the apartment, to take her chances with Wolfram and Hart on the streets of L.A.  
  
More than the fear, though, the anger was growing. This was Liam, her brother, sitting in front of her, now, who she had loved and believed in and who had betrayed and murdered her.   
  
His eyes opened and looked at her, but all she could feel was the anger coursing through her. Anger was good, anger was safe, anger kept her from feeling other emotions that would hurt so much more.  
  
"Kathy?" He whispered. His voice was hoarse. She stared at him, letting the anger build, forcing it to drown out the other feelings that tried to intrude upon her, forcing herself to feel only anger.  
  
"You killed me," she said in a low, deadly voice. Liam flinched visibly. "You killed me!" she shouted, her voice building, "You killed us all!" Dimly she was aware that she was standing, that Liam was kneeling in front of her, staring up at her, tears appearing in his eyes.   
  
She stared down at him, anger beginning to wane though she fought to hold onto it.   
"And then," she began, voice wavering, "I wasn't even allowed to rest in peace!" Tears were rolling down her cheeks now, her voice was wavering. "They brought me back, they trapped me; I was a slave Liam!" The anger was gone, leaving only pain and fear behind. "Nothing more than a slave," she whispered, she slid to a ball on the floor and sobbed bitterly.  
  
Through a haze she felt hesitant arms gather her up, pressing her against soft leather as a familiar voice that had comforted her and soothed her fears many times before murmured quietly in her ear.  
  
"Hush little one, it's ok, I'm hear, your not alone, it's ok," She clung to the fabric as she cried, as she had done with Cordelia before. This time felt different though, this time it felt like home.  
  
  
Eventually her sobbing subsided and she uncurled herself enough to stare up into the brown eyes of the one who held her. And there was the difference, she realised. The one who had killed her and her family, his eyes had been filled with an unholy glee, with bloodlust and nothing more. These ones eyes held only pain and guilt and grief. And love. This was Liam she realised, feeling at last content. But still, she had to know.  
  
She took a deep breath, staring only at his eyes.  
"You're a vampire, aren't you?" she asked, a bit shakily. He let out a long, unneeded sigh.  
  
"Yes," he whispered.  
  
"Then, how," Kathy began hesitantly, "I mean, vampires are, are demons and while it was certainly a demon who, who-" she stopped, swallowed, and went on, "You're not a demon now. You're Liam." Liam smiled down at her sadly, gently brushing a strand of hair back off her face.   
  
"I was a demon," he began, "For over a hundred years I was. I was known as 'The Scourge of Europe. Then, when I was in Romania." He was still staring down at her, still stroking her hair gently, but she felt as if he wasn't seeing her, as if he was seeing the past. "I fed of a young Gypsy girl, a Romany. She was young, beautiful, a favourite among her clan. The elders devised the perfect punishment for me,"  
  
"What?" Kathy asked hoarsely, dreading the answer. Liam smiled soothingly down at her.  
  
"They restored my soul," he said simply. She stared up at him, puzzled, not understanding, then slowly her eyes widened as she understood.  
  
"Oh, Liam," she whispered, wrapping her arms tight around him. "How do you bear it?" she asked, her voice muffled in his clothes. He smiled sadly down at her, though she couldn't see, remembering another girl who he had told his story to.  
  
"By helping people," he told this one now, his sister. "Saving lives in payment for the ones I took." Kathy pushed herself upright, swiping ineffectually at the tears. Gently he caught her hand and wiped them away for her. She stared up at him, remembering the last time he had done that. "No more tears," he whispered, letting her know that he remembered as well.   
  
"OK, Liam," she smiled up at him, feeling, for the first time in so long, happy.   
  
"Kathy," he began, and then stopped, hesitating.  
  
"What?" she asked, concerned  
  
"Do-" he swallowed, "Do you forgive me?" Kathy smiled gently and put a hand up to touch his face,  
  
"Of course I do," she whispered. Liam made a sound half way between a laugh and a sob and hugged her tightly.  
  
"Thank you," he murmured. Kathy leant her head back onto his shoulder, content.  
  
  
Cordelia shoved the door of her apartment open, clutching her shopping bag with some of the food for Kathy she had gone out to fetch. She stepped into her apartment- and froze.  
  
Angel was seated on the floor with the girl she had found, Kathy, curled up in his arms. At the sound of her entrance they both looked up, and Cordelia was struck by the expression of peace on Angel's face, an expression she had never seen him wear before.   
  
"You found her?" he asked. Cordelia jerked her head in an approximation of a nod, still staring.  
  
"Thank you," Angel murmured softly, smiling.  
  
"Wh-what..." Cordelia began to ask in confusion.  
  
"Cordelia I would like you to meet Kathy," he said, smiling down at her. "My sister."  
  
Cordelia's mouth dropped open and she collapsed down onto the sofa, staring between them. When her brain began to function again she commented,  
  
"That must be why they brought you back," Angel frowned,  
  
"Why's that?" Cordelia stared at Kathy,  
  
"You mean you haven't told him?" Kathy looked at her,  
  
"Why should I have told him?"  
  
"Don't you know his name?"  
  
"Of course I do, it's Liam," Cordelia looked at Angel.  
  
"Your name was Liam?" she asked, then stopped herself. "No, I mean you haven't told her what your name is now?"  
  
"What your name is now?" Kathy looked puzzled and turned to face him, "What is it?" Angel looked at her tenderly.  
  
"I took the name you gave me actually," he said softly. "Angel." Kathy's mouth opened and shut.  
  
"You're a Warrior for the Powers That Be?" she whispered  
  
"I find the title a little ostentatious, but yeah." Angel looked at his sister, concerned. "Kathy? What's wrong?"   
  
"I-I," Kathy stuttered. Cordelia leaned down and gently touched her shoulder.   
  
"Just tell him your story," she whispered kindly. Kathy took a deep breath and did. As the story progressed Angel's face got darker and darker and he made muttered comments about a few inventive things he was proposing to do to Wolfram when he got his hands on him. As she neared the end though and she began telling them about the werewolf who had helped her escape and told her to find Angel, Angel and Cordelia exchanged concerned looks, both thinking the same thing. As Kathy finished, choking down a sob, she looked up at them.  
  
"Kathy," Angel started before she could ask what was wrong, "Could you tell me what this werewolf looked like?" Kathy nodded slowly, looking between them.  
  
"He had brown hair," she began, "And he was fairly short and slight. I don't really know much about him." She said sadly.  
  
As she spoke Cordelia got up and fetched a picture album from Sunnydale, flipping through the plastic pages until she found the one she wanted.  
  
"Is this him?" she asked, pointing out to Kathy a certain picture.  
  
"Yes, that's him!" she exclaimed.  
  
Angel and Cordelia looked at each other in horror.  
  
"'Oz.'" They said as one.  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
